Why pick on Eric?

Folks in Eric Johnson’s campaign don’t like stories about polls on the 2010 race for governor.

Most such surveys indicate that the state senator from Savannah is running fourth in a six-person Republican field.

In phone calls, e-mails and an opinion piece in the Savannah Morning News, his supporters raise some valid points.

Nearly 11 months away from the GOP primary election, they note, few people are paying any heed to the candidates.

So recent polls mostly tell us which candidates are – maybe because they hold statewide office – well known.

Johnson, they acknowledge, is not exactly a household name – unless people confuse him with his favorite NASCAR star.

Moreover, they add, many candidates who lagged in early polls, such as Barack Obama, Sonny Perdue and Casey Cagle, have ended up winners.

Lastly, they argue that, this early in a campaign, fundraising – something at which Johnson excels – is a better yardstick of success.

The bottom line, the Johnson team at least implies, is that we’d all be better of if newspapers and other media simply ignored such polls.

But that overlooks some things.

First, many articles published in the Morning News and elsewhere cite the same points that Johnson folks raise in objection to the polls.

Secondly, none of the stories have been front-page stuff; most have run deep inside. Thus editors thought that such results, though worth reporting, weren’t worth trumpeting.

Moreover, readers – when presented enough relevant information – are smart enough to figure such stuff.
Lastly, even if it reflects little more than name identification, early polling is still relevant.

As his supporters concede, early polls suggest that most voters have barely a clue about Johnson.

Moreover, one poll found that, of those who know enough about him to have an opinion, at least as many don’t like him as do.

Does that mean he doesn’t have a chance?

Of course not.

But it does tell us that Johnson has work to do. Probably a lot.

Luckily for him, his fundraising prowess means he’ll at least some of the tools he needs to get it done.

It also means, as Johnson has said, that people who are paying attention and have money want him to be governor and think he can win.

Still for every early underdog like Obama, Perdue and Cagle, who catch fire – and win, there are underdogs who fizzle out – and lose.

But why pick on Johnson?

Here’s why: We’re a local newspaper and he’s our local guy.

So most of the time, I’m going to pay more attention to him than anyone else in the race.

It could be worse.

For example, if our paper were in McDonough, I’d start stories by saying Ray McBerry has even worse poll numbers – and almost no money.

In any case, when it comes to Johnson, I’ll try to steer a middle course between being a naysayer and a cheerleader.

The Johnson folks are right: The primary is almost 11 months away and lots of things can happen.